Title

A Phenomenological Look at Custodial Fathers and their Experience with Public Assistance Programs

Author

Myron Jones

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)

Department

Counseling

Date of Award

Fall 2014

Abstract

Single father headed households are an ever increasing family system in the United States. More times than not, single fathers are not financially stable, and lack extended family support, which may cause them to rely more and more on public transfers to make up the slack. The focus of this study is on custodial fathers and their experience with public assistance programs. The role of single father has been identified as the most ambiguous and stressful in the family system, yet it is the least researched. There are an estimated 2.6 million single father headed households in the United States (Livingston, 2013). The purpose of this study was to take a phenomenological look at the lived experiences of seven custodial fathers. An interview format using open-ended questions was used to study the phenomenon of custodial fathers and their experience with public assistance programs.

Advisor

Linda Ball

Subject Categories

Counseling | Social and Behavioral Sciences

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